Strength
by RadiantBeam
Summary: She is the strongest, kindest person you've ever known. Her name is Takamachi Momoko, and she is your mother. ::One-shot:: ::MomokoNanoha family love::


**Disclaimer: **I do not own Nanoha or Momoko. I am simply toying with them for my own sadistic pleasure.

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**Strength**

She is the strongest person you've ever known.

Ever since you were small, she has always been so; you can never remember a time when she failed or faltered. Even when Shiro was hurt and she put extra hours into the coffee shop, pulling double the work of any employee, every night she found the time to come into your room and kiss you goodnight.

She is a woman who believes that all of life's challenges should be met with a smile or a laugh; even when she is uncertain of herself, she is always radiating warmth. You can't remember a time when she wasn't smiling, even when she cried.

She soothes your cuts and scrapes, wipes away your tears, and sneaks you an extra cookie when no one is looking, even if it's before dinner. She hums a mindless tune and even when she found out about magic, her greatest desire was that you come home for dinner on time and safe.

Her name is Takamachi Momoko.

She is your mother, and the strongest person you've ever known.

Someday, you hope to be like her.

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She is the kindest person you've ever known.

You can never remember a time when she turned someone away; even when you first brought Yuuno home on that long ago night, she was quick to come to your defense and persuade Shiro to let you keep him.

When you bring Vivio home to meet the family, all nervous and stuttering and _dammitIpracticedthisspeechbeforeIlefthome _she takes one look at the little girl tightly holding your hand before she smiles and asks if she'd like some homemade caramel milk.

Vivio's eyes lighting up is all the answer she needs, and with a laugh she sweeps the small girl into her arms and carries her into the kitchen.

You stand there blinking dumbly for about ten seconds before you say, more to yourself than anyone else, "Huh." Somewhere in the living room, Miyuki is doubled over laughing while Kyouya and Shiro simply stare.

By dinnertime, Vivio is fully considered a member of the family and happily calls her "Grandma". Watching them together, you wonder why you were so nervous in the first place.

Her name is Takamachi Momoko.

She is your mother, and the kindest person you've ever known.

You know you can never be like her, but you still plan to try.

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When Fate comes home and tells your family that she plans to marry you, reactions vary. Miyuki and Kyouya immediately start arguing over some bet that's been going on for years, and it makes you blush and groan. Shiro asks a few questions, accepts Fate's answers, and generally seems perfectly okay with the whole idea. He's always believed you and Fate were attached at the hip, anyway.

She is the one who studies Fate quietly, calmly, while Shiro asks and Miyuki and Kyouya continue to bicker. When everything settles down, before dinner, she motions quietly for Fate to join her outside. You notice the little hand motion, recognize it from your childhood. It's nosy and rude, but you can't resist following them.

"You've been in love with her for a long time."

Her voice is soft, contemplative; there is no smile on her face now as she looks into the distance, seeing something that is important.

Fate's eyes soften slightly. "Yes, I have."

She looks at Fate, and now she smiles; but it is a sad, knowing smile, a smile of someone who is letting go. "You'll make her happy," she whispers. "I've seen the way she looks at you."

Fate swallows, because she can understand exactly what is going on here. "I hope I will."

She laughs at that and gently pats Fate on the shoulder, looking back towards the sky. After several minutes, she releases a deep, shuddering sigh.

To your shock, tears start slipping down her face.

"I'm sorry." She sniffles and wipes them away, even as Fate steps closer to comfort. "She's my baby. My little girl. My Nanoha. I didn't think it'd be so hard."

She's crying, and you've never seen her cry before. You're in your early twenties, and you've never seen your mother cry before.

"Mama." You don't care that she'll scold you later for eavesdropping; now, you're just reacting. "Mama, it's all right." You gather her close, try to dry her eyes even as she laughs shakily and rests her head against your shoulder. "Oh, Mama, don't cry. Please don't cry."

She laughs again. "These are happy tears, Nanoha."

Somewhere in the back of your mind, you realize you're taller than her.

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"Nanoha-san! Nanoha-san, your mother—"

You get the call while training new recruits, several weeks before the wedding is supposed to take place. You leave the recruits in Vita's care and let yourself be swept away, but your mind is lagging behind your body.

"… And it was a bomb, someone planted a bomb in the back, an old enemy of your father's…"

"A fire, there was an explosion; she was alone, Shinobu-san went home early, and she was alone in the back room getting supplies…."

You hear the voices, see the faces, but none of it is connecting. Someone is talking about your mother, and a bomb, and a fire; something bad has happened, but you can't understand _what._

And then you're whisked into the hospital and see them there; Kyouya standing with Shinobu and his children, trying to comfort his wife and distract his little ones; Miyuki, sitting quietly next to her father, their shoulders touching; Shiro, staring blankly at his hands, his eyes empty, his face pale.

You know.

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Her name is Takamachi Momoko.

She is your mother, and the strongest, kindest person you've ever known.

She is lying in a hospital bed, and no one can do anything to help her but pray.

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When Shiro was injured, she rallied the family together; she was the one who assigned house chores and assignments, figured out what would be done when and how it would be done. She was the glue, and she held the family together.

Shiro is a strong man, and kind. He is not his wife.

In her absence, Miyuki steps up to take her place; she is the oldest female in the family, and it is her right. She has inherited that much from her mother, if nothing at all; as days pass by she organizes everything, giving you something to do with your hands, something to occupy your time.

For once, you don't mind being ordered around.

It'll be all right, of course. You tell yourself that on a regular basis. She is strong, and kind; in some ways she is the strongest person in your whole family. She's always been there, and you've never questioned it. You can't imagine life without her there.

Her name is Takamachi Momoko.

She is your mother, and you've never had to live without her.

She'll be all right. You believe she'll be all right.

(The doctors aren't so optimistic.)

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On the day the doctors take Shiro aside to gently tell him that she is weakening, you visit her alone. Kyouya is shopping, and Miyuki is helping Shinobu with the kids; it's just the two of you.

You talk, though you don't really know what you're saying. You talk about the wedding, and how Fate recently sent a message asking how everything is going. You say Lindy misses talking to her, and that she wants to get together to have tea. Vivio wants to make caramel milk with her Grandma again, and this time she wants to bring her new friends Lio and Corona with her. You ask her to wake up, and quickly please, because if she stays like this they'll never have the wedding, and hasn't she been the one asking for more adorable grandchildren?

As you talk, she stirs weakly, coughs; her eyes slowly open and she tilts her head slightly, meeting your gaze. You smile at her and keep talking, reaching out and taking her hand, reassured when she squeezes.

"You'll be all right, Mama." The tears are falling, and you don't even realize it. "You're going to be all right."

She smiles at you, the way she always used to when you were small.

And she dies.

**The End**

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...

And no, I don't know what inspired this.

Read and review, please!


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